Skype dreams for developers

(continued from previous page)

July, lets subscribers make calls from the Internet to the traditional phone network at a rate of about 2 cents per minute. It has signed up 1.1 million customers so far. Skype is also testing a service dubbed SkypeIn that lets subscribers obtain ordinary telephone numbers and take incoming calls, for a flat fee covering three months or a year.

Skype's Larabee downplayed the risk of those services losing sales to products contrived by developers.

Getting the message

So what's currently out there for Skype users to download?

Messaging products are the most plentiful. Many are given away for free and have advanced versions for offices that cost a few dollars each. The most common is voice mail.

London software developer Connectotel has a test version of "Skype to SMS" software that lets users send short text messages to cell phones from Skype. Skype users can also receive SMS messages from cell phones.

There are also a number of ways to personalize Skype calls available for download. What's a phone call without a personalized ring tone? Take a trip to Meinskype, for one.

HotRecorder adds sound effects to your Skype calls, along with voice mail. Meanwhile, U.K.-based Modular IT offers Look2Skype to make Skype calls directly from Microsoft PC contact lists.

--Ben Charny

"Skype voice mail is a premium product, and we are aware that other developers are offering alternative recording options," she said. "Skype is not concerned that a non-commercial developer could offer a competitor" to its premium services.

Skype also faces serious challenges recruiting and retaining developers.

Since developers must pay Skype to sell products based on its source code, it could face a long-term disadavantage against SIP if its market share begins to slip.

Furthermore, because Skype is a relatively small company with more than 100 employees, developer support is a costly luxury. Some developers have complained they were basically left on their own to navigate complicated licensing contracts and technical issues, leaving it unclear whether developers are allowed to profit and under what conditions.

"It's long and complex," wrote Skype blogger Stuart Henshall of the company's source code agreement.

Some Skype developers have taken matters into their own hands, building their own support networks and laying plans to lobby Skype for a greater role in administering the developer community.

That's the idea behind SummitCircle, a popular Web site run by Louis-Philip LeNir. LeNir wants to serve as the developer community's collective voice and chief organizer; in effect serve in the same capacity as a town mayor.

"As things continue to grow, I expect to approach Skype and ask them if I can help organize the Skype ecosystem that's forming around them," LeNir said in an interview, promising that his first official duty would be to hold Skype's first developer conference. "Even loosely organized, we can provide a lot of value to Skype users."

[ntrsource]

Is SKYPE a success story!

Is SKYPE a success story or is it all fluff?
Millions of people 31 million respectfully around the globe are enjoying the free SKYPE model for communication but will it be all sweet and blooming in the near future.

After opening up it's doors for developers some turmoil had to come along and due to the big dollar signs some like to think that they are entitled to comments like these below has surfaced and could become a non calculated problem that would bring them down.

"Some developers have complained they were basically left on their own to navigate complicated licensing contracts and technical issues, leaving it unclear whether developers are allowed to profit and under what conditions."

Interesting issues only time will tell how it's going to pan out.

Wanna see a really cool product that is totally free?
Visit http://www.CallOnMyDime.com and try not to get excited.
FREE PC-2-Telephone in the US and Canada and naturally FREE PC-2-PC worldwide. FREE Streaming movies and so much more.
Check it out and please tell a friend.

[jimbof36]

What makes Skype so special?

There have been free PC-toPC telephony programs around for years...why is Skype suddenly so popular?

[Johnny Mnemonic]

It's Peer too Peer

It uses the same P2P technology that the Kazaa or
Gnutella networks use. It is decentrallized.
Meaning it doesn't require a central server to
function and it works behind firewalls as a result.
The quality is better than a regular telephone as
well.